Finn the Cat RIP

Carol · Master

RE: Finn the Cat RIP

Teresa · Enlightened One

Charles, although we have never met, I have read many of your words on this forum. You are clearly a kind, caring, loving person and you should never reproach yourself for what has happened. It could have happened anywhere, at any time, but surely best that it was within Finn's family.

Remember that grief is a natural process that everyone should go thru each time they lose a loved one, in order that they can continue their life and give so much to the family they have left..... family, to me, is both canine and human. I, too am alone, family-wise. If not for my husband I would have no family except the dogs so I do understand a little of how you feel.

If I can help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Teresa, xxxx

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Charles, I can only endorse what everyone else is saying. Don't beat yourself up over what has happened. Finn would not have wanted that. He knew he was a very special and much loved little fella. You gave him eight wonderful years of the good life that he would not have had if you hadn't stepped in. You can go on with your chin up, Charles, because you care.

We are all guilty of complacency from time to time - and sometimes things happen that we can't possibly foresee. You will never forget Finn, but the pain of losing him so suddenly and the guilt will fade with time. Remember the good times and all the funny incidents you had with him (I'm sure there are a few) and share them with us. It always helps to remember the good times. I'm sure I can speak for all of us when I say we're all here for you.

Christine x

Vee · Graduate

So sorry to hear this news Charles

I know very well what its like to lose a very much loved pet as I've lost 5 in the past 12 years. Its very, very hard to get through this as I'm still trying to get through all of my best friends passing away but time is a great healer. You've done so much for Finn. I know just by reading on the forum that you were a very kind,patient person and look at what a great cat Finn turned out to be. Please don't blame yourself. You gave him an extremely happy last few years.

BOWGANG · Master

Charles

So sorry to hear how Finn passed. I am suffering similar guilt about our cat,Smudge.

Smudge always sits on our front doorstep to let us know he wants in..he learned there were 3 big hounds out the back so the front door was safer. We instilled in the girls early on that if they were letting the dogs out the back they had to check first of all that Smudge wasn't about. Pity I didn't take my own advice. I opened the back door for the pooches last Friday afternoon and within seconds Jamie had Smudge in his mouth. He was tossing him back and fore like a rag doll. I managed to pull him off only for Keera to pick him up. Smudge managed to scratch her and I got hold of her collar and pulled her back.Gambol stood and watched the whole thing as if to say ..am I meant to do this too. Smudge ran away through our close(we live in a terraced house with a passage between). There was no blood or anything but we haven't seen Smudge since. I am so worried about him as he's nearly 15 and I don't know what the shock may have done to him. I can't bear the thought of him lying in pain somewhere and that I can't help him. I don't blame the dogs at all..it's instinct but I feel so,so guiltly. The girls keep saying how much they miss him and it's the not knowing where he is that makes it worse.

I keep picturing him trotting across the road to get in and I keep imagining that I hear him miaowing too. It's awful.

I'm sure through time things will get easier for you and all your good work with the dogs will help. Keep thinking of all the happy times with Finn and how much he knew he was loved.

Shirley

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

Shirley,

How dreadful for you, your family and Smudge. None of the vets in the area heard anything?

Our thoughts are with you, and as we have all expressed to Charles, you know we are all here to listen.

Please keep up posted. We will keep everything crossed.

Siouxsie X

Calatria · Master

Shirley, we're keeping everything crossed that you get Smudge back home again safe and sound.

What about printing out some pics of him, and putting them on lamp posts in the neighbourhood? He's probably not too far away.

BOWGANG · Master

The girls have been out searching for him every day and we live in a cul-de-sac so most people know us and that Smudge is ours. We also have everything crossed as I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to him as a result of my stupidity.

Shirley

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

Shirley,

Try and not beat yourself up about this, as has been stressed earlier to Charles, everyone makes mistakes and thats what it was a mistake. Try and get in touch with local vets, Was Smudge microchipped?. And the idea about putting noticed up around the area is a good idea, it might jog peoples memories that pass outside of the cul de sac.

Siouxsie x

-- Edited by Siouxsie at 14:17, 2005-10-25

carolineasb · Old Hand

Charles

I can only echo what everyone else has said - please know that you are not alone. Just as has been said you are in our GAL family & I think that probably every single one of us has experienced the grief that you are feeling - be it for a human being or one of our animals.

You'll know that we lost our beloved Diamond in a tragic accident which was down to us. The Vet School could have kept him alive but badly disabled - the surgeon used the analogy of Christopher Reeve if he had been a human - but we couldn't do that to a greyhound pup.

I can only hope (& it is my belief) that I will meet up with him & all my other beloved pets in Heaven (I don't believe that Christ was just for humans but all living things on this Earth! (as a practising Christian))

Take care

Caroline

emma · Guru

Shirley,

I was so sorry to read about Smudge. It is just awful to think of the poor wee fellow out there somewhere.

You never know, cats are very resourseful, he may have been taken in by someone else and be on the mend. I know a friends cat moved out, for six months, when she got a dog.We have no idea where the cat went. After the dog went to bite of her children's friends. It was a rescue dog and she knew it was mistreated before she got it.Afraid the dog would bite a child and she would lose him altogether she sent him to live with her parents. Hey presto the cat returned!! How he knew the dog had gone we don't know but back he came! He was well fed and looked well (perhaps the people who took him in are still wondering what happened to him!)

Fingers crossed for you, your girls and smudge. Emma XX

Vee · Graduate

Shirley I was so sorry to have read the devastating news concerning your poor wee Smudge.

I too have a cat,Sassie and I'm not into cats as I am dogs but shes been an absolute star getting on with the dogs. She ran away once though not my dogs fault she was just a bit over whelmed by all the canine contact. I was distraught. She was my wee cat for 4 years and now I thought was the end.She had been lost for 5 weeks and we gave up hope. But even so we put posters and notices up everywhere , lamposts, newsagents etc. We finally got her back after such a struggle to find her and she was as relieved as we were. She is my daughters cat and she was in tears with happiness when she came back and all through Sassies missing period. I just want you to know someONE someWHERE will find your cat. Please don't give up hope as we nearly did. Put notices up everywhere and check every night.

My thoughtts are with you xxxx

-- Edited by Vee at 16:19, 2005-10-25

carolineasb · Old Hand

Shirley

Sorry to hear about Smudge - I've PM'd you

Take care

Caroline

BOWGANG · Master

Thanks everyone for your kind words and thoughts.

I think we'll maybe give the posters a try and see...the girls have been asking all their friends if they have sen Smudge but nothing yet. We're all just waiting and hoping.

Shirley

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Hi Shirley

I've got everything crossed that Smudge is OK and will turn up safe and sound. Hopefully as Emma says, someone has taken him in, and if they see the notices you're putting up, they'll recognise him and get in touch.

We're all human, Shirley, and liable to make mistakes. We're all thinking of you and just hope that Smudge returns soon.

Christine

Teresa · Enlightened One

my thoughts are with you and we are praying for smudge's safe return.

i can sympathise a little, dave did the same thing with a neighbour's cat. we didn't see it around for weeks and weeks. then, it suddenly turned up, right as rain, as if nothing had happened.

cats are incredibly resilient so keep hoping, xxxxxxxx

Lesley · Guru

Dear Shirley and family - I am so sorry to hear about Smudge. I sympathise wholeheartedly as Skipper (foster) retains a determined interest in my cats when they are in the garden, and I have done exactly what you did - opened the door and forgot that Lucy (age 15) was in the garden. Fortunately she made it to safety under the deck, but I was distraught at my own stupidity and what could have happened.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you all.

takecon · Master

Hi Everyone,

Many thanks for your kind thoughts - they were very uplifting to read.

Sorry not to have thanked you all before now. I've been quite busy - work, flat upgrade, the hounds and some GAL stuff.

You will appreciate that sometimes a culmination of things get one down! You focus on the the negative things instead of the positive.

Part of my life mantra is not to dwell on the past. The past is over - we cannot change things. So rest assured that I'm moving forward.

Charles

ps The dogs - Snap, Mick, Cleo, Trei and Tink are doing well -

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

Charles,

How nice to have you back on the forum, after your busy time.

Siouxsie

emma · Guru

Charles,

So good to hear you are doing ok and that the past is losing it's grip over you. Have been in my thoughts. Emma, Tig and Chad XX

Suzanne · Guru

Good to have you back Charles!!

If its any consellation, i have used you more than once as an example to owners of cats who have just been diagnosed FIV +ve. I tell them that i know of a cat who went on to live another 8 years after diagnosis....

You should see the look of relief on peoples faces as they take their cat back home with them!

See - Finns still working in spirit!

Hope to see you n the gang at the xmas show! Take care

Suzanne, Murphy & Maisie

takecon · Master

Hi Everyone,

Once again many thanks for all of your kind words.

Yip - Finn proved everyone wrong. He grasped life. Strange how creatures sense life opportunities and make the best of it. Basically he was not allowed outside on his own - for safety of the other cats and to prevent him picking up infections. He was happy enough with his dog company - he regarded dogs as big cats or he thought he was a wee dog.

I decided that he would not get annual injections as his immune sysytem was already too compromised. He did have to get all but 2 of his teeth out as they were a source of infection. However with care his health improved. He was only a the vets 4 times in his 8 years. ( now thats another story ) He had two bouts of cystis but that was quickly cleared.

So basically FIV need not be an automatic death sentence and need not mean loads of expensive vet bills.

I think Snap and Mick miss Finn but the other 3 don't notice.

Charles

ps Tink was adopted by me partly because he was involved in Finn's demise. Just thought it was right to keep him and think Finn thought so too. One homeless cat who moved on and another homless lurcher finding a home